Taste test: Honey graham crackers

Want a sweet and crunchy treat without all the sugar, fat and calories of a cookie or candy bar? Graham crackers are a tasty and versatile snack. And the portion sizes are generous for the calories. They make a great out-of-the-box dessert or a holder for peanut butter, marshmallows or apple slices.

Panelists said the Honey Maid crackers were the most cookielike. They described the crackers as hearty, crisp and full of sweetness. One judge liked the layers of the cracker, comparing it to phyllo dough. The crackers also had an appealing golden glow.

Wal-Mart's store brand of graham crackers were the lightest of those sampled. Judges decided they might not be as filling as some of the others, but they were equally as tasty. The texture gave them a nice crunch and the honey flavor was prominent.

One panelist said the Albertsons graham crackers looked like flat bread. Another said they looked like they had been pumped full of air. The texture made them crispy and the flavor was as honey-laced as the others.

Shoppinginformation

$3.99 for a 14.4-ounce box from Publix.

$2.50 for a 14.4-ounce box from Wal-Mart.

$3.49 for a 14.4-ounce box from Albertsons.

Product/serving

Honey Maid

2 full sheets of crackers

Great Value

2 full sheets of crackers

Albertsons

2 full sheets of crackers

CaloriesFat/Fiber

130

3g / 1g

140

4g / 1g

140

3.5g / 0g

Judges'comments

Panelists said the Honey Maid crackers were the most cookielike. They described the crackers as hearty, crisp and full of sweetness. One judge liked the layers of the cracker, comparing it to phyllo dough. The crackers also had an appealing golden glow.

Wal-Mart's store brand of graham crackers were the lightest of those sampled. Judges decided they might not be as filling as some of the others, but they were equally as tasty. The texture gave them a nice crunch and the honey flavor was prominent.

One panelist said the Albertsons graham crackers looked like flat bread. Another said they looked like they had been pumped full of air. The texture made them crispy and the flavor was as honey-laced as the others.

Shoppinginformation

$3.99 for a 14.4-ounce box from Publix.

$2.50 for a 14.4-ounce box from Wal-Mart.

$3.49 for a 14.4-ounce box from Albertsons.

ALSO SAMPLED: Cambridge ($1.38 for a 14.4-ounce box from Aldi); Hannaford ($2.59 for a 14.4-ounce box from Sweetbay); Market Pantry ($1.67 for a 14.4-ounce box from Target); MI-DEL ($4.59 for a 16-ounce box from Nature's Food Patch in Clearwater); Publix ($2.79 for a 14.4-ounce box); and Keebler ($3.99 for a 16-ounce box from Publix).

Panelists: Kim Thomson and Tami Gower, fifth-grade teachers at Pasadena Fundamental Elementary School in St. Petersburg; Rosella Sunnucks, media specialist at Pasadena Fundamental; and Steve Sims, theology teacher at Tampa Catholic High School in Tampa. All foods were tasted blind.